MICHAEL Gove has backed the Government's idea to extend the period of time Bulgarian and Romanian migrants have to be in Britain before claiming benefits so they do not take advantage of the UK's "generous welfare system".

The Education Secretary agreed with the policy being pushed by the Prime Minister calling it "practical politics" and saying David Cameron has "struck exactly the right note on migration".

With a January deadline looming to decide on the future of Bulgarian and Romanian migrants, the Government are willing to take this step without backing from the EU.

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC1, Mr Gove said: "I absolutely agree with [David Cameron] and I do think it's practical politics.

"The Prime Minister has struck exactly the right note on migration, which is to celebrate the achievements of people who have come here, to recognise that migration has to work for those who are already here."

Reports have suggested that the Mr Cameron is hoping to increase the length of time that new migrants can claim benefits from three months to close to a year.

However, Government sources have played down such a large jump.

Shadow home secretary believes the Government can go about the issue differently [BBC]

The Prime Minister has struck exactly the right note on migration

Michael Gove

Mr Gove told the BBC programme that new migrants should not be allowed to "take advantage" of the UK's "generous" benefits system.

He said: "When it comes to new migrants from accession countries in the EU, we need to look properly at the benefits system here to make sure people are coming here to work and contribute, not to take advantage of what is rightly a generous welfare system."

Shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, also on the show, said that there are other measures the Government should be taking to combat the issue.

She said: "I do think when people are coming to this country they should be contributing and so we have already said there are changes you could make to jobseeker's allowance so people can't come and claim jobseeker's allowance straight away.

"It's important to recognise that most people who come to this country do come to work and to contribute."

Dominic Grieve believes migrants coming from corrupt backgrounds is something to be wary of [GETTY]

In recent months, Mr Cameron has been pressurised to make a bigger stand on restricting welfare to European migrants.

Polls in the Daily Mail and the Times have shown a deep concern about the Government's lack of action surrounding immigration from Bulgaria and Romania.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve spoke out this weekend that Britain should 'wake up' to the growing number of immigrants coming from 'corrupted' communities.

He told the Daily Telegraph: "We have minority communities in this country which come from backgrounds where corruption is endemic.

"It is something as politicians we have to wake up to.

"I can see many of them have come because of the opportunities that they get. But they also come from societies where they have been brought up to believe you can only get certain things through a favour culture.

"One of the things you have to make absolutely clear is that that is not the case and it's not acceptable."